./top/ free-ai-codingchecked against card facts, snapshot 05-10.06 and 03.07.2026
Free AI for coding
Only one tool on the list codes completely free and without a card: the DeepSeek chat - it provides reasoning mode, web search, and files for $0 and works in Russian. The rest are free with caveats.
Agents have two versions of “free”: Codex provides access through the ChatGPT Free plan with minimal limits, while open-source Cline, Aider, and OpenCode are free software - you will need to pay for a model via API or connect your own key. The main barrier from Russia is not the tool price, but model access: OpenAI and Anthropic do not support Russia.
Below are six options, including exactly what is free, the boundaries, and access from Russia.
how we chose
Rankings are editorially ordered based on card facts: what is actually free, its limits, and how it works from Russia. Each spot has its own source and verification date. One intent - one view: pairs use comparisons, measurements use benchmarks.
01
DeepSeek (chat)
Editor's choice
free
The chat.deepseek.com web chat and apps are entirely $0: DeepThink, web search, and file uploads. There are no paid plans for chat.
limits
There is no official message cap; frequent bursts of requests face throttling, and peak times have queues. The vendor does not document limits.
from Russia
Opens directly from Russia; no international card or phone number is needed, with sign-in through Google or Apple. Responds in Russian.
Access through the ChatGPT Free plan for $0 with minimal limits. The CLICLICommand Line Interface: a program controlled with text commands from the terminal, without windows or buttons. A CLI agent lives right in the terminal next to your code. is open-source (Apache-2.0).
limits
Messages run on a 5-hour window and depend on the plan and model; beyond the limit - buy additional credits. Serious volume starts at Plus $20/mo.
from Russia
OpenAI does not officially support Russia: international access is required, plus an international card for paid plans.
Free for individual developers: an open-source BYOK clientBYOKBring Your Own Key: you bring your own AI model key, and the app does not sell anything itself. The software is free; you only pay the model provider for tokens.Learn more in VS Code - your own key, any models.
limits
The client itself is $0; you only pay for inferenceinferenceHow a trained model works: you send a request - the model computes an answer. When people say “you pay for inference,” it means you pay for each model response, not for the software itself. from the chosen model. Enterprise (SSO, SLA, governance) - custom pricing.
from Russia
Software can be installed from anywhere; access from Russia depends on the chosen model: OpenAI and Anthropic do not support Russia (international access is required), while DeepSeek and local models work directly.
Open-source CLI agent (Open source): free itself, with support for 75+ providers and local models.
limits
Price and quality depend on the chosen model; your own key or a local model is required. The vendor describes the exact public price as “Free + model/API cost”.
from Russia
Software can be installed from anywhere; access from Russia depends on the chosen model: OpenAI and Anthropic do not support Russia (international access is required), while DeepSeek and local models work directly.
Open-source CLI companion: the software is free, with no fixed subscription.
limits
The main expense - API/model cost: you pay for the model by tokens. The price depends on which model you connect.
from Russia
Software can be installed from anywhere; access from Russia depends on the chosen model: OpenAI and Anthropic do not support Russia (international access is required), while DeepSeek and local models work directly.
There is no Free plan: access starts at $17/mo (Pro). There is no free entry to Claude Code - according to the card facts.
Frequently asked questions
Which AI for coding is completely free?
Completely free and without a card - the DeepSeek chat: $0 for DeepThink, web search, and files, with no other chat plans. Open-source Cline, Aider, and OpenCode agents are free software, but you will have to pay for the model via API. Codex provides free entry through the ChatGPT Free plan with minimal limits.
Which of these works from Russia for free?
Directly from Russia and without a card - DeepSeek: sign in through Google or Apple. Open-source agents can be installed from anywhere, but depend on the model: with DeepSeek or a local model they work without international access, with OpenAI or Anthropic - they do not. The vendors do not support Russia for Codex and Cursor.
Is Cursor free?
There is a free base IDE - enough for everyday work. We did not verify paid plans or agent limits: check Cursor's official pricing before paying. We did not verify direct access from Russia.
Is Claude Code free?
No. Claude Code has no Free plan, with access starting at $17/mo (Pro). This is the key difference from Codex, which does offer free entry.
